This document provides information about an 8th grade Language Arts class taught by Mrs. Walsh. It outlines the curriculum, which includes genre studies, vocabulary, grammar and an article of the week. It describes the writing and reading workshops, homework policies, parent conferences and how to access the class website for assignments.

1. Welcome
8th grade
Language Arts
Mrs. Walsh
Contact info-
walshjen@aaps.k12.mi.us
994-1989 ext. 32430
(direct message line)
645-2567 (cell #)
Student Teacher: John Brady

2. Language Arts
Curriculum
• Taught in a workshop style with time, ownership
and response at center
• Genre studies: science fiction, realistic fiction,
technical writing, research, historical fiction,
holocaust, newspaper
• Vocabulary weekly with a quiz every Friday
• Grammar weekly
• Article of the Week- Stresses informational reading,
critical thinking and persuasive writing techniques.
• I want students to ULTIMATELY LOVE READING
AND WRITING…..This is achieved (usually) through
the CHOICE aspect of Workshop.

3. Writing Workshop
• Will write 3-5 pages of • Revision is stressed
rough draft writing each • Grammar is addressed
week.
through Daily
• Word Generation Language Review, and
(SERP) packets every
other week Write Source materials.
• Will revise and write • Lots of work on
final draft of self- sentence structure and
selected piece for each sophistication of
genre study. language.
• Digital Portoflio of
examples of each
genre

4. Reading Workshop
• Choice novels. Please let me • Classroom read aloud to
know if you have concerns teach reading strategies
about a certain novel your
child is reading. Will be
doing Guided Reading with • Should read for 20 minutes
some of the genre studies. each night and one hour on
the weekend for a total of 140
mins. per week OUTSIDE of
• Will read most of the hour on class. Novels, not
Fridays magazines
• Will be required to respond to • Please sign reading
their reading in writing each calendars. You should have
week in a Lit. Log-this is seen them already! DO
where they learn application NOT sign if student isn’t
of literary terms reading! Please make them
responsible
• Will cover same genres as
writing

5. Late Homework Policy
• All work is due by 3:00 p.m. on the date due.
• Students can use an Oops Coupon for full credit on
one late homework assignment each quarter. Must
be turned in, with the signed coupon, within a week
of the due date.
• All students who are absent will have two days for
each day absent to make up work. It is the
STUDENT’S responsibility to ask for the work.

6. Fall Conferences
• Thurs., Oct. 11,
4-7 p.m.
• Thurs., Oct. 18,
5-8 p.m.
• Thurs., Nov. 15,
5-8 p.m. (by
invitation)
ALL CONFERENCES
ARE ARENA STYLE
FOR 7TH AND 8TH
GRADE

7. Website Info
• Grades are updated WEEKLY on Power School.
Late work may not go in immediately.
• Website:
http://www.teacherweb.com/MI/AnnArbor/Walsh/t.
aspx
• Homework is posted here each Monday or
Tuesday for that week.
• Big projects/assignments will be uploaded
to this site as well.